Fomer NFL tackle Josh Brenthas been released from jail.

Brent, who played for the Dallas Cowboys from (2010–2012) was convicted in January 2014 for the December 2012 drunken car crash that killed his friend and teammate, Jerry Brown.

The night of the wreck, the two men were headed home from partying with fellow Cowboys at a nightclub when Brent lost control of his Mercedes, causing a fiery accident. Officers who arrived on scene said Brent was seen trying to pull Brown’s body from the wreckage.

Police documents showed that Brent was driving at least 110 mph and may have been driving as fast as 134 mph right before the crash, on a road where the posted speed limit was 45 mph. Brent later failed a sobriety test and would face 2 to 20 years in prison if convicted. Brent was found by the police pulling out his friend and teammate.

Brent’s blood-alcohol level was tested shortly after the crash at 0.18 percent, more than twice the legal limit for drivers in Texas.

The 26-year-old was sentenced to 180 days in jail and 10 years’ probation. It was not immediately clear whether he would be required to report to a rehab facility to complete the remainder of his his six-month sentence, which was expected to end in July.

It’s no secret that “The Ohio State University” Buckeyes football program has run faced disciplinary actions by the NCAA. Once again, the University’s is being accused of a secondary violations which occurred in 2013 which are likely to have NCAA president Mark Emmert and others laughing.

In early 2011, Ohio State faced sanctions for a humorously serious violation after football players, including former Oregon recruit Terrelle Pryor, were trading Buckeye football memorabilia for tattoos. What made the situation worse was that head coach Jim Tressel reportedly knew about the trades more than eight months before the school was made aware of the situations. On top of the five players having to repay the benefits earned, Tressel’s contract was broken by failing to inform Athletic Director Gene Smith of the university.

That’s right, the bombshell violation featured one of the most polarizing football players on the planet. Here’s what happened: Linebacker prospect Clifton Garrett, who signed with LSU on Feb. 5, called Buckeyes head coach Urban Meyer on March 9, 2013, only to find out he was on vacation and eating lunch with Tebow.

Here’s what happened next, per the school’s self-report via Lesmerises:

During a phone call with a possible recruit , Coach Meyer informed Garrett that he was on vacation and having lunch with friends and family, including Tim Tebow. Garrett asked Coach Meyer if he could wish Tebow good luck on the upcoming season. Coach Meyer handed the phone to Tebow and Garrett conversed with Tebow for approximately eight seconds. Coach Meyer stated that no recruiting conversation occurred, there was no intent to have Tebow recruit on behalf of Ohio State and he, in fact, did not recruit on behalf of Ohio State.

Although NCAA violations often land schools and teams in hot water, minor infractions like these provide a refreshing change of pace from what typically dominates the headlines during the offseason in college sports.

It remains to be seen how the NCAA will respond to Ohio State’s self-reported secondary violations and what improvements the university will make in 2014. But for now, it’s clear that the potential punishment for serious violations has led schools and athletic programs down an honest path. Read more here

SOURCE: The Bleacher Report

A history of major NCAA violations:

In 2009, Florida State University was given the nickname “Free Shoe University,” because agents purchased more than $6,000 worth of shoes for Seminoles players. In addition, cases of academic fraud were uncovered from 2007, which would lead to 10 school teams losing scholarships and vacating wins. While the NCAA did not name the athletes, FSU banned 23 football players from attending the 2007 Music City Bowl. According to the NCAA report, academic fraud is the worst of all NCAA violations. Read more here

Michael Sam, a defensive end from Missouri and a projected mid-round NFL draft pick, has announced that he is openly gay.

Sam first spoke publicly about his sexual orientation in an interview with the New York Times, as well as ESPN’s Outside The Lines, Sunday.

“I knew from a young age that I was attracted to guys,” he said, “I didn’t know if it was a phase … I didn’t want to say, ‘Hey, I might be gay. I might be bi.’ I just didn’t know … I wanted to find who I was and make sure I knew what was comfortable. So I didn’t tell anyone growing up.

“I endured so much in my past: seeing my older brother killed from a gunshot wound, not knowing that my oldest sister died when she was a baby and I never got the chance to meet her. My second oldest brother went missing in 1998, and me and my little sister were the last ones to see him … my other two brothers have been in and out of jail since 8th grade, currently both in jail.

“Telling the world I’m gay is nothing compared to that.”

He told his college teammates during a team building exercise. Players were asked by a coach to “Tell us something we don’t know about you.” Some players knew. Others were shocked. Not one player whispered a word to the media.

Other openly gay athletes:

Jason Collins (NBA) – Jason Collins became the first active male player in the four major American professional sports to come out as gay.

Martina Navratilova (Tennis) – Martina Navratilova wasted little time after becoming a U.S. citizen in 1981 in letting everyone know she was gay.

Robbie Rogers (soccer) – After retiring from soccer at age 25 in February 2013, Robbie Rogers came out as gay.

Brittney Griner (WNBA) – Baylor center Brittney Griner, who was the No. 1 pick in this year’s WNBA draft, acknowledged in April that she is gay.

John Amaechi (NBA) – John Amaechi became the first former NBA player to come out in 2007. He averaged 6.2 points in parts of five seasons.

Will Sheridan (NBA) – Will Sheridan’s Villanova teammates knew he was gay, but it wasn’t until 2011—several years later—that he went public.

Megan Rapinoe (soccer) – In a 2012 interview with Out magazine, Megan Rapinoe said she was a lesbian.

Orlando Cruz (boxing) – Boxer Orlando Cruz has won both of his fights since coming out in 2012.

Billy Bean (MLB) – Several years after he played his final game with San Diego in 1995, Billy Bean announced he was gay.

Billy Jean King (tennis) – Billy Jean King won 12 Grand Slam titles and was outed in 1981 in a lawsuit.

Esera Tuaolo (NFL) -Esera Tuaolo played last with the Carolina Panthers in 1999 and went gay publicly in 2002 on HBO’s Real Sports.

Kwame Harris (NFL) – In March 2013, former Oakland Raiders tackle Kwame Harris said he was gay on CNN. He played in the NFL from 2003 until 2008.